House approves resolutions calling on Hamas to release hostages, reaffirming Israel’s right to exist

The House Tuesday night overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling on Hamas to immediately release all hostages in Gaza, and another affirming Israel’s right to exist as an independent state.

The Hamas resolution — which also condemns the group for taking hostages and for launching the terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7 — cleared the chamber in a unanimous 414-0 vote.

Lawmakers approved the Israel resolution in a 412-1-1 vote. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) was the lone “no” vote, while Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) voted present. The measure, in addition to reaffirming Israel’s right to exist, also rejects calls for Israel’s destruction, condemns Hamas’s attack on Israel, and “recognizes that denying Israel’s right to exist is a form of antisemitism.”

Massie said he opposed the Israel resolution “because it equates anti-Zionism with antisemitism,” adding in a post on X: “Antisemitism is deplorable, but expanding it to include criticism of Israel is not helpful.” Tlaib, the only Palestinian American serving in Congress, has been critical of Israel’s response to the Hamas terrorist attack, accusing its leaders of conducting genocide as the number of civilian casualties in Gaza increases.

Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7 in a surprise invasion, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 240 hostages into Gaza, which the U.S.-designated terrorist group has ruled since 2007.

Israel and Hamas are in the midst of a temporary cease-fire to exchange hostages and prisoners, but the war is expected to resume in Gaza once the agreement ends. Hamas thus far has released more than 80 hostages, while Israel has freed 180 Palestinian prisoners, according to an NPR tally.

About 170 hostages are still in the coastal enclave, including around eight or nine Americans, according to the Biden administration.

The U.S. has condemned Hamas for the attacks and staunchly backed Israel, its main ally in the Middle East, as it wages a war to destroy the militant group.

Rep. Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) said the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 “are among the greatest crimes against humanity.”

“The hostages abducted by Hamas include civilians, soldiers, women, children, grandparents,” said Manning on the House floor. “This resolution calls attention to these abductions by Hamas.”

Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), the lead sponsor of the hostage resolution and the co-chair of the Congressional Hostage Task Force, said she was “heartened” by the unanimous support her legislation received in the chamber.

“After weeks of working with the families of hostages, I’m heartened that every single one of my colleagues voted to support this resolution this evening, and that all my colleagues joined me in condemning the actions of Hamas and calling for the immediate release of ALL innocent civilians held, including nine Americans. I will not stop until each and every hostage is safely returned,” Stevens said in a statement.

The resolution that affirms Israel’s right to exist builds on U.S. and Israeli concerns about extremist Palestinian groups, including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, that call for the destruction of Israel. 

The Biden administration has accused Hamas of genocidal intent against Israel and is committed to a two-state solution, which would allow Israel and a Palestinian state to exist side-by-side.

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), who introduced the resolution, said the U.S. “must do everything it can to stand by its greatest ally in the Middle East.”

“Not only does Israel have a right to exist,” he said on the House floor, “they have a right to defend themselves and the only way that this ends peacefully is for Hamas to surrender.”

This story was updated at 7:29 p.m. on Nov. 29.